Antony Gormley’s life sized figures are slowly talking their place in the New York landscape in preparation for Event Horizon. His cast iron (4) and fiberglass (27) statues will populate Madison Square Park and the surrounding Flatiron District. The outdoor event/exhibition is a bit of a reprise of 2007’s Blind Light, where Gormley’s work originally appeared at London’s Hayward Gallery.
You can follow the installation here. And, from March 26 to August 15, 2010, check out Gormley’s work in full glory in New York. (via It’s Nice That).
Design should make life easier. And, it should elegantly fit into a need for an everyday solution. These thoughts seem to have been on the mind when the Brit Insurance Design of the Year was selected. The official announcement was made today.
From the press release -
British student, Min-Kyu Choi from London, has won the Brit Insurance Design of the Year 2010, for his elegant reinterpretation of the humble plug, beating over 90 international nominees in the process. Jury Chair, Antony Gormley, presented him with the award at a gala dinner held at the Design Museum.
The Folding Plug was chosen from the seven category winners as the most compelling and progressive design of the last 12 months. The jury panel consisted of artist Antony Gormley, designer Tom Dixon, Editor of Icon magazine Justin McGuirk, designer Morag Myerscough, Style Director of Grazia magazine Paula Reed, editor of Wired magazine David Rowan and writer and broadcaster Janet Street-Porter.
Antony Gormley comments ‘Thought-through, responsive and modest, the folding plug shows how intelligent, elegant and inventive design can make a difference to everyone’s life.’
Min-Kyu Choi’s inspiration came from having to carry around the world’s largest plug (UK pin plug) with the MacBook Air, the world’s thinnest laptop. In creating a plug which could fold flat for easy transportation, Choi received much praise on showcasing the plug at the Royal College of Art’s graduate show in 2009, with a brilliant and seemingly obvious improvement to a product that had changed little since its inception in 1946.
Deyan Sudjic, Director of the Design Museum comments ‘It’s great to see such a practical but elegant demonstration of what design can do to make everyday life so much better. Min-Kyu Choi is a designer just setting out on his career and he clearly has a great future ahead of him.’
The folding plug and all of this year’s shortlisted designs are on show at the Design Museum, due to the overwhelming demand the exhibition has been extended and will now run through to 31 October.
A new exhibition at the International Center of Photography will offer an innovative view of the Civil Rights Movement and the catalytic social role played by changing portrayals of African Americans in the 1950s and ‘60s. Through a rich juxtaposition of visual images—including photographs, television and film clips, magazines, newspapers, books, pamphlets and posters—the exhibition shows how strategic interventions in these mediums of visual culture helped to transform prevailing attitudes toward race in America. The exhibition, organized by guest curator Maurice Berger, is titled For All The World To See: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights, and will be on view from May 21 to September 12, 2010.
In addition to the exhibition, the ICP will publish a fully illustrated book by Berger with text by Thulani Davis. Most exciting, from my perspective, is that the book will also launch in digital form in conjunction with the opening of the exhibition (www.foralltheworldtosee.org).
Opening this Saturday at P.P.O.W.Debris presents the work of Portia Munson, Sarah Frost, and Aurora Robson. The three artists are connected by a use of recycled mass produced plastic. They each have created standalone installations, indicative of their own artistic leaning. Munson has utilized found objects for almost 16 years, finding firm place in the art world through contribution to the “Bad Girls” exhibition at the New Museum. Frost’s work in Debris is intirely produced from discarded keys, primarily from key boards, representing business large and small and each holding its own unique history. This exhibition is her first in New York.
Finally, Aurora Robson adds large scale sculpture from her series “Landmines” to the gallery’s main room. Her reuse of found plastic forms a fantasy world with a horror twist.
Debris continues through April 24, 2010, at P.P.O.W., 511 W. 25th Street, room 301, New York.
Robbie Cooper is a British photographer and video artist. His new work, titled “Immersion” films people through a screen. In the above Wallpaper* Video he describes his intent and the particularities of the technique.
“Robbie Cooper: Immersion” is currently on view through September 5, 2010, at the National Media Museum in Bradford, UK.
V1 Gallery (Fleaskovort 69/1711 Copenhagen V/Denmark) opens a duo of solo exhibitions on March 26, 2010. Asger Carlson’s “Wrong” takes viewers into a “miscreated” universe. It’s a bit dark, but also vaguely familiar. The other half of the exhibition finds Matthew Stone’s “Body Language.” Stone has been called the most influential British artist under 30. He paints what are often called “human landscapes,” masses of flesh that force viewers to question individuality through a series of contradictions.
Both exhibitions run through May 1, 2010. Full fliers after the jump.
I’ve been a fan of Henry Horenstein for some time. The RISD professor lives in Boston and frequently documents American subcultures. In “Show” he gets to the heart of some of the seedier sides of entertainment. Burlesque, carnival, and more intimate portraits through images of tattooed bodies. Hornestein has also pointed his lens toward boxing and horse racing, honkey tonk barks and more recently created a body of abstract works focused on texture.
His ability to capture distinct moments of American history speaks volumes for his talent, but also reminds that in his younger years Horenstein believed he might become a historian.
Show is on view at Gallery 339, 339 S. 21st Street, Philadelphia, through April 3, 2010.
Selected photographs from Show after the jump. Above is Melody Sweets, This is Burlesque, Corio, New York, New York (2008).
Working out of Dare Devil Tattoo in New York, Amanda Wachob does some wonderful abstract work. She produces tattoos that blur lines, push boundaries, and meld fine art and body art. For me, her work is in a grand New York tradition of pushing (think Spider Web), and she’s got such a painterly quality to her heavy line. Additionally, I’m really taken by the conceptual work done in “bloodline,” a distilled water. Wachob’s site is really worth spending some time exploring. (via Today and Tomorrow).
Framepresents a minimal preview of what Emu will show at the Salone del Mobile in Milan next month. The Pattern Collection by Arik Levy, a designer best known for his furniture, is made of metal with patterned cut out. Devised with a slim profile, the chairs come in two colors (gray and red).
The collection is in keeping with Emu’s dedication to providing innovative outdoor furnishings.
The Salone del Mobile runs from April 14 to 19, 2010.
More images of the Pattern Collection after the jump.
